TAXI drivers across the district have called on the council to increase fares, by adding extras charges, due to rising fuel and insurance costs.

Hackney Carriage licensed drivers, who form the St Albans and Harpenden Taxi Association (SAHTA), have been complaining for the last year about the high number of licences handed out by the district council.

The cabbies say there are already too many taxis on the roads, which is creating a competition for fares. They have asked the district council to put a cap on licences. However when the council refused earlier this year, the drivers staged demonstrations to get their messages across.

Their next plea to the council is to include extras charges in the fare, which were excluded during last year's fare rise, for having more than two people in a taxi at a time. The drivers feel this will help boost their income.

In their statement to the council the association said: "SAHTA committee agree that fare extras being excluded was unfair on large vehicles. This is because proprietors pay more for insurance and fuel."

The committee adds: "Taxi drivers are also being severely hit by the ever increasing fuel and insurance. Taxi insurance is going up at an alarming rate due to many companies having to pull out of the taxi insurance trade.

"Inflation is at a record all-time high which means higher household bills and shopping. With all this the taxi driver's disposable income has totally vanished."

The drivers acknowledge the recession has reduced public spending but feel drivers with larger taxis have lost out since the fare extras were excluded.

However the council's licensing and regulatory committee has recommended the proposals are declined because the fare increase agreed in January 2011, was approved on an agreement that the extra charges were removed.